aerokurier 10/2001
Editiorial Beyond comprehension / Feature Beach
flying in Australia / Pilot Report The dream CAP / Air Shows AirVenture
2001: new engines for experimental planes / Tips for Trips Moulin de lAchat / Magazine Water
pilots in Warnemünde, BRS parachute for Cessna 172, In the cockpit with Fritz
Henze, Under development with BUL Aviation: the two-seater Zulu, Veteran aircraft in the
skies above Oldenburg / Travel
With eight Robinsons through France to Jersey / Flying Oldtimer Festival
Hahnweide 2001 / Practice
Side-slipping, Circuit procedures, Accident analysis: accident possibly
caused by heart attack / Ultralight Wild Thing with the Jabiru 3300, German
ultralight championships, New initiative in the ultralight weight limit issue / Gliding World
Women Championships, Junior German championships in Jena, Gliding to Norway, First flights
with self-sustainer, Stahringen comparison flying, Oldies get-together in Zbraslavice,
More power for the AE-1 Silent, Junior World Championships
EDITORIAL
Beyond comprehension
Just before this issue of aerokurier was nearing completion the unthinkable happened,
something no one could possibly have imagined in advance: terrorists hijacked four
airliners simultaneously in the USA, flew two of them into the World Trade Center in New
York and one into the Pentagon. The fourth airliner crashed near Pittsburgh. Thousands of
victims have lost their lives.
Aircraft with hundreds of passengers on board were used as flying bombs
to commit incomprehensible mass murders and spread terror on a scale never known before.
It is not just the USA that is affected by the terror. It affects us too, as the aviation
world has very close ties to the USA.
These assassinations in the USA have robbed civilian aviation of its
innocence. It will never be the same again as it was before 11 September 2001. General
Aviation and aerosports join the surviving dependants of the victims in mourning.
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FEATURE
Beach flying in Australia
Flying, fishing and good food. That is the catchphrase some Australian pilots use to
describe their Sunday fun. The trip to the beach is actually a journey into the
wilderness, far from the nearest civilisation. We undertook such a flight for our readers
and describe it for you in a gripping report with fascinating pictures. Join us in flying
to a veritable dreamland.
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PILOT REPORT
The dream CAP
The exterior of the new 200hp aerobatic two-seater CAP 222 already exudes power and
splendour. The glass-smooth wings, not centred but positioned low down, have no dihedral
and have a zero angle of setting. The ailerons have a span of 2.5 metres.
The design of this aircraft, for which manufacturer CAP Aviation has
high hopes of market success, is pleasing to the eye. The development engineers and test
pilots promise the pilot performance values which in many respects are at least as good as
those of an Extra 300, combined with the pure flying pleasure of a Pitts, and all this at
a very modest purchase price and low operating costs to suit the requirements of the
novice.
Matthias Dolderer of the Tannheim Flying School, who flew the
two-seater for us, says, "I am certain that anyone who flies will dream of
engineering his way into the back seat of the CAP 222, in order to experience under
skilled instruction the lightness with which one can make the earth spin in it."
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AIR SHOWS
AirVenture 2001: new engines for experimental planes
Are radial engines on the verge of a revival? One might conjecture that they are. Two
new specimens of this species which had apparently long been laid to rest made their debut
at AirVenture 2001. Aeromotors S. A. from Romania unveiled the M-14D. The air-cooled
nine-cylinder achieves 220hp at an rpm of 2000. Compared with the initial model, the
M-14P, its fuel consumption promises to be significantly lower.
The second radial engine newcomer, designation Liberator R-2800, comes
from Australia. Series production is to be taken on by Replica Aircraft Works (RAW) of
Duncan, British Columbia. The R-2800 is a seven-cylinder four-stroke engine. One gearbox
is used to reduce the engine rpm by a factor of 1.5. In the ready state, this powerplant
weighs only 99kg. Its dry weight is around 80 kg, while its power output is said to be
115hp.
EngineAIR Power Systems (EPS) of Aiken, South Carolina, has produced a
turbocharged, liquid-cooled 440hp aluminium V8 engine. Another of the
"heavyweights" among the powerplants for experimentals is the Eagle 540. This
has been developed by American Engine of Ontario, California. Once again this 8-cylinder
engine is not a converted car engine but a completely new development with liquid cooling,
twin Garrett turbo-superchargers, electronic ignition, electronic fuel injection and FADEC
system. Engine displacement is a generous 8.8 litre, power output is up to 650hp.
An eight-cylinder is also under development by Jabiru. The 200hp boxer
engine with aluminium housing and dry sump lubrication has been flying for a short time in
a Supermarine Spitfire kitplane.
The ATP company from Osceola Mills, Pennsylvania, unveiled a small
turboprop known as Model 6.5, which could enter full production in 2002. The compact unit,
whose dry weight is stated as a mere 90kg, is to have a price tag of $20,000. It offers a
power output of at least 210 shaft horsepower.
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TIPS FOR TRIPS
Moulin de lAchat
Are you looking for an unusual destination? One that not everyone knows about? No
problem. Thomas Dietrich has come up with a real find, the Moulin de lAchat. This is
a 19th-century mill that has been renovated and converted to an inn. Just nearby is a
grass landing strip with no landing fees although there are also no refuelling
facilities either.
The Moulin de LAchat is recommended as just the place to unwind.
The food is good, accommodation and meals are reasonable and the atmosphere is relaxed.
Interested in finding out more? Off to the kiosk to buy the last but one available copy of
the October issue of aerokurier!
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MAGAZINE
Water pilots in Warnemünde
Water flying was available to ones hearts content from 9 to 12 August in
the bay of Breitling, near Warnemünde. Almost exactly 75 years ago the German Seaplane
Competition took place here. But it was not simply to recall that event that the
convention and accompanying symposium were organised. The "splash-in" was also
intended to promote acceptance of water flying in Germany.
BRS parachute for Cessna 172
For 20 years the Minnesota-based company BRS has been building life-saving equipment
for ultralights, home-built planes and, since 1993, for fully certified single-engined
aircraft. FAA-certified systems are available for the Cessna 150/152 and the two Cirrus
four-seaters, the SR20 and SR22. Later this year a certificated parachute will become
available for the Cessna 172.
BRS has sold over 15,000 systems to date. According to the company,
lives have been saved using the equipment on 138 occasions. The BRS system for the Cessna
two-seater 150/152 costs $9,995. The installation costs are on top of this. Installation
is estimated to require between 12 and 20 hours of labour. Anyone wishing to equip the
Cessna 172 with the BRS chute thus needs to find $15,995 plus installation time. A special
launch price of $13,495 is offered for the first 50 orders.
In the cockpit with Fritz Henze
Henzes full-time job is as managing director of the Paderborn/Lippstadt regional
airport, but his eyes light up as soon as anyone talks about active flying. Fritz Henze is
a pilot, body and soul. He started out on gliders as a 15 year-old in Münster, later
moved to powered aircraft, qualified as a flying instructor, obtained various twin-engine
ratings and then organised a new airfield. Now aged 58, his flying ambition is to fly
himself to Oshkosh.
Under development with BUL Aviation: the two-seater Zulu
An interesting ultralight aircraft is under development at BUL Aviation in
Dijon-Darois. It is also to be certified as a very light aircraft (VLA). Its name: Zulu.
When aerokurier visited the company, prototype F-WWNJ had just completed its first few
flights.
The airframe is built mainly out of composite materials. Only the flaps, the
ailerons and the area aft of the elevator are covered with stressed skin. The layout of
the horizontal stabiliser and vertical tailplane is similar to that on the TB planes. The
nosewheel of the low-wing aircraft, which resembles a Super Pulsar, turns freely. The
plane is steered with the wheel brakes. The cabin is reasonably wide, at 116cm. Behind the
seats there is ample space for baggage. The single section cockpit canopy tilts towards
the front.
The aircraft is powered by an 80hp Rotax four-cylinder 912. Two wing tanks
supply these with motor vehicle petrol The UL version could be available from the summer
of 2002, the VLA from the summer of 2003. Both aircraft are expected to offer a cruise
speed of around 135kt (250 km/h).
Veteran aircraft in the skies above Oldenburg
"Old lady" is the name given by members of the Aviatic Oldtimer Club in
Oldenburg to their Cessna 170, which was originally built in 1952. Anyone who wishes can
take off in the classic plane but dont forget the tail wheel!
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TRAVEL
With eight Robinsons through France to Jersey
Six days of ideal flying weather, eight Robinson helicopters and a 17-man, highly
motivated group of travelling companions. What more could one want? From Baden airport
they flew across France to Jersey, and from there along the coast of Normandy back towards
Germany. Interim landings were made in chateau grounds, for virtually every chateau in
France has a heliport and helicopters are welcome everywhere. The high points of the trip
were the approach to the heliport of Issy-les-Moulineaux, on the edge of Paris, and the
two-day "excursion" to Jersey.
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FLYING
Oldtimer Festival Hahnweide 2001
Temperamental weather at the Oldtimer Festival at Hahnweide airfield detracted somewhat
from the usual sparkle of the occasion. However, participants who had succeeded in getting
there made full use of the few rain-free moments they were granted. Among the visitors to
have made the journey were also some cranes. A cross between Nils Holgersson and the Red
Arrows this was the impression conveyed by the formation flight of Christian
Moullec and his five feathered squadron mates at the start of the annual fly-in. When
Moullec circled above the airfield, he stole the show from the Staggerwings and Bückers.
But the cranes were not the only ones to put on a first-class display. From
T-6s to various models of Yak, some 150 participants from seven European countries
had set course for the airfield near Kirchheim/Teck. The spectrum of aircraft ranged from
a reproduction Bleriot monoplane dating from 1909 through to a restored Bf 108 from
Lufthansa. The highlights included a Spitfire Mk. XIV and a Corsair F-44-4, both superbly
restored. The two PC-7s from the French Apache team were also very impressive. Their
display is likely to have been one of their last, as already in October the Swiss-built
turboprop aircraft are to be replaced by Czech L-39 jets.
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PRACTICE
Side-slipping
Side-slipping no longer has the importance it once had. But it is still a good way of
getting to the runway threshold after an approach that has begun too high. We show you how
to brush up your knowledge of side-slipping and what you need to look out for when trying
this approach technique that is much neglected today.
Circuit procedures
In no other phase of a flight do so many control inputs have to be made under time
pressure, or is such precision required as to position, course, speed and altitude while
at the same time scanning the airspace for other aircraft, as in aerodrome traffic.
Accident analysis: accident possibly caused by heart attack
Immediately after taking off in Schwenningen the pilot of a single-engined aircraft
called in over the radio to say he was having problems. Exactly what these problems were
the BfL did not find out. Eye witnesses observed the aircraft as it flew at very low
altitude only a few kilometres away from the airfield. They also saw it crash into a field
shortly afterwards. The pilot, who was alone on board, was killed. At the post-mortem it
transpired that pilot had almost certainly sustained a heart attack while airborne,
following which he lost control of his aircraft.
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ULTRALIGHT
Wild Thing with the Jabiru 3300
Four years ago the Wild Thing was launched on the market. We put the top version of the
high-wing monoplane with the six-cylinder Jabiru 3300 through its paces in a series of
tests. An all-rounder with character which stands out among todays designs not just
on account of its tail-wheel landing gear design. Its spaciousness is one of its
strengths. What else does the Wild Thing offer? Read all about it in this months
aerokurier.
German ultralight championships
The 16th German ultralight championships ended with one provisional result in the trike
two-seater class.
In the competition, which was held from 30 August to 2 September at
Bienenfarm airfield, 26 teams and individual pilots competed for the championship title.
In the trike two-seater class, Gisela Böllhoff and Ruth Falkner from Bremen emerged at
the end of scoring as the winners. But a protest over third-placed Graf and Demmel which
had still not been resolved at the time of going to press could overturn the scoring in
retrospect.
The title in the trike solo class was won once again by Victor
Wyklicky. In the three axis ultralight two-seater class (B2) it was not possible to
declare a winner. In the single-seater class the incumbent champions, Heinz Korella
andWolfram Walter, took the prize again.
New initiative in the ultralight weight limit issue
The Deutscher Aero Club (DAeC) is planning a new initiative to change the
ultralight weight limits in the European JAR 1 regulations through the Fédération
Aéronautique Internationale (FAI). In our Ultralight Special in the 5/01 edition of
aerokurier we reported in detail on a new definition of the weight limits which the DAeC
has proposed to the Federal Ministry for Transport, Building and Housing (BMVBW). Since
then the proposals have been a fine-tuned and have won the support of representatives of
the BMVBW and the Federal Office of Civil Aeronautics (LBA).
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GLIDING
World Women Championships
At the first World Women Gliding Championship, held at the beginning of August in
Pociunai, Lithuania, the German team narrowly missed success. Angelika Machinek, who ended
up in second place in the racing class, missed the world championship title by only four
points.. Katrin Senne won the bronze.
Another pilot from the DAeC team who was up amongst the leaders
was 25-year-old Stephanie Mühl from SFC Neu-Ulm. Having made her debut in the national
team at the German Womens Championship last year, the medical student advanced to
fourth place in the standard class at these world championships, held in the south-west
corner of Lithuania.
Junior German championships in Jena
There were 10 good scoring days at the German Junior Gliding Championships in the
second half of July in Jena-Schöngleina. The details make this championship quite
different from many other competitions.
Gliding to Norway
Of all the possible destinations the Bundeswehr sports promotion team could have chosen
for a training camp, it was Norway that they picked, a country previously little-known for
gliding. The results were sensational.
First flights with self-sustainer
The LS8-t is flying. Rolladen-Schneider expects to obtain certification in the course
of the next year. Until then, a lot of detailed work has to be done.
Stahringen comparison flying
For the sixth time the Radolfszell Aerosports Club organised its comparison flying
event for self-launching powered gliders. The idea of the competition no stress,
but a lot of fun and a holiday atmosphere once again proved a hit.
Oldies get-together in Zbraslavice
For those glider pilots who are vintage aircraft enthusiasts, the annual rally
organised by the Vintage Glider Club is a firm fixture in the appointments diary. This
year it was organised by the Czech Aeroclub Zbraslavice.
More power for the AE-1 Silent
The electric powered AE-1 Silent ultralight (glider) now offers even more freedom. Air
Energy has upgraded the battery capacity on the ultralight powered glider.
Junior World Championships
At the Junior Gliding World Championships held in Issoudun, France at the
beginning of August, the German team did not manage to repeat its success at the 1999
World Championships in Terlet, the Netherlands. Two years ago, the DAeC team took two
World Championship titles. Robert Scheiffarth, club class junior world champion in 1999,
emerged on the last scoring day in Issoudun in third place overall. In the standard class
1999 world champion Gunter Stahl was no longer able to compete on grounds of age. Benjamin
Schulz (LS8) produced the best performance among the German pilots, ending in third place.
The title in the standard class was won by Jay Rebbeck (LS8) from the
United Kingdom, who finished ahead of his fellow-countryman and team partner, Jez Hood
(LS8). In the club class the winner was Peter Toft from Denmark (Std. Libelle), and the
runner-up Sylvain Gerbaud of France (Pégase).
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